Allen Pittman

'The Gao sixty-four movements physically demonstrate taoism's relation to Chinese martial arts. This relationship is something often mentioned in various writings, but seldom made clear. Here the relation is clear, defined, and direct.'-from the book.

Ba gua zhang is one of the 'internal' styles of Chinese martial arts. Developed in the early nineteenth century, it has profound cultural and philosophical roots that ground it in the ancient principles ofTaoism and the I Ching. Although ba gua is most often taught in circular forms, Walking the I Ching describes sixty-four unusual sequences of movements performed in straight lines, each of which is presented to the public for the first time with its matching I Ching hexagram.

After an overview of ba gua's history and philosophy, author Allen Pittman presents eight chapters corresponding to the eight 'houses' of ba gua theory-elemental groupings that match the eight foundational trigrams of the I Ching. Each of these houses manifests a distinct underlying dynamic and martial arts principle, and each chapter begins with an introductory survey of the symbolism and cultural, anatomical, tactical, and spiritual ramifications of the house. Detailed and extensively illustrated directions for performing the eight linear sequence forms of each house follow.

This combination of practical instruction and philosophical insight make Walking the I Ching not only an authoritative guide to hands-on-practices, but also a pathway to a deeper understanding of ba gua zhang and its traditional roots.

Contents

Foreword by Marnix Wells
About this book
Preface to the Blue Snake Edition
Preface
History and philosophy
Ba gua basics
Beginning the forms
1 House of light
2 House of water
3 House of mountain
4 House of thunder
5 House of wind
6 House of fire
7 House of earth
8 House of lake
About the author… (plus d'informations)